Flying-machine.



w. STEVENS. FLYING Mmmm, APPLICATION FILED-00T. 26,V O.

1,011,387. Patented De. 12, 1911*.

, UNITED srA'lEs BATENT,

' 'r LYINear/mcHrNE.y i i To allwhom it may concern: Be it known that I, VILLIA'M STEVENS-zr citizen of the UnitedStates, residingatLos Angeles, in the countyof Los Angeles -and State of California, have inventednew and useful .Improvements in Flying-Machines,l

of which the" following is a specification. ,i

This invention relates toiiying machines and similar apparatus and mechanism for l0 navigating the'air, and more-particularly to starting, yalighting or landing means for `the same; andthe invention hasforits object to" provide improvements of the general .nature stated, which *will* be relatively simplel and inexpensivein construction, positive in operation, durable, which will adapt themselves through a Wide range of varying conditions attendant upon` use of the main flying machine o1" similar structure, and which will be generally superior in efficiency and serviceability.

'ith the above and other objects in View, the invention consists in the novel provision, construction, formation, combination, association and relative arrangement of parts, members and features, all as herein*- after described, shown in the drawing, and finally pointed out in claim. A

The present'invention is described andl illustrated in an application for Letters Patent filed by me April 25, 1910, "for flying machines, Serial No. 557,598, as part of a complete flying machine or apparatus for navigating the air. v A In the drawing :-Figure 1- is a side elevation of a flying machine provided with t-he improvements constituting the invention, the same being partly broken away for clearness of illustration; and Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse sectional View of t-he same, taken upon the line 2-2, Fig. 1, and looking in the direction of the appended arrows, parts being omitted, broken awa'y, or shownl in full lines, for clearness of illustration.

lstecificatifm-bf Lettersratnt. 'i 'y application med octoprvze, 1910. sriaino.' 589,226.3

rearward "end portion or planes `or wingsT C a s ald mainframe A bein zontal plane d, a' vertica operatorsseat G. b designates cont-rolling y,o means [extending forwardly erators seat to the later iiiovabl ing members C 'and' designates theruiinmg gear or alightingmeansgwhic or'embodies the inventionI the; sam disposed. beneath. the fra-meyy`` or* b'd A i comprising' v a forward' whele and a rearward wheeled wheeled support H2ffof`t comprises depending arm wheel 10 is connected and us nie 1i braced relation andi the j"frvvai'd wheeled 75 support H1 comprises spaced depending arms 11 pivotally connected at their upper ends, as at 12, with the main frame A, for both lateral'and longitudinal movement, and pivotally connected at their lower ends asso at 13, with a transverse wheel'shaft 14 upon V the ends of which are mountedthe Wheels 15. A supplemental frame member 16depends from the frame member Aabove the wheel shaft 14; and tension means .M, opposing .lateral movement ofthe wheeled support H1, extend between said frame member 16 and the shaft 14. Similar tensional means N, opposing longitudinal movement of the wheeled support- H1, extend between the shaft 14 and the main frame A. The tension means M comprise contractile coil springs 17 tied at their ends to the end portions of the shaft 14 and to i the frame member 16; and the tension means 95 operatively bear upon the earth even if the main frame A and the other parts of the machine or apparatus are in a condition of distilrbed lateral or longitudinal stability.

The operation, method of use and advantages of the improvements in starting gear, running gear or alighting gear constituting vor embodying the invention will be readily understood /from the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing and the-following statement.

The machine or apparatus, in initiating the movement thereof, travels upon the, wheeled supports H1 and H2. When the machine or apparatus again descends to the earth, the alghtin means or running gear H, d ue to the yielding formation of the for wardwheeled support H1 thereof, permitting the machine to Aadapt itself upon its course upon the surfaceof the earth to varyingconditions of stability .or lunevenness of running silrface, thus permitting the ma'- chine to take the earth again, upon descent from flight, even when such descent' is acf companied by disturbed lateral or longitudinal stabilit or balance, or both. Itis manif fest that t e rearward wheeled support H2 may, if preferred, be organized similarly to the forward wheeled support H1.. The tension means M and eN, while permitting the forward wheeled support H1 to yield or give laterally or longitudinally, in the compensating manner above described, nevertheless oppose such yielding movements, resiliently, and check finally any. tendency of the' machine or apparatus to upset or fall.

Q I do not desire to be understood as vlimiting myself to the specific provision, construction, combination and organization of parts, members and features shown and-described; but reserve the right to vary the same in adapting the improvements'to varying conditions of use without departing from the 'spirit of the invention and the terms of the following claim.

Having thus described my invention, IV claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent A flying machine or apparatus provided A with a frame or body, arms dependingl from said'frame or body and pivoted eac at a common point both for lateral and longitudinal movement, a wheeled shaft pivotally connected with the lower ends of said arms, and springs extending both laterally and Vlongitudinally between said shaft and said 

